Engie Electrabel has to pay an additional 3.3 billion euros for the nuclear clauses. This was decided by the Nuclear Facilities Commission (CNV). But the operator of nuclear power plants believes that this amount is too high and is considering appealing to the court. In addition, Engi is demanding a refund of 1.3 billion euros from the government. According to the company, it is very slow to establish a policy for the disposal of nuclear waste, and this leads to additional costs.
Angie threatens legal action. The discussion focuses on the triennial assessment of nuclear provisions. This is the piggy bank that in the future must pay for the closure and dismantling of the Belgian nuclear power plants, and for the disposal of radioactive waste. It is managed by Synatom and contains about 14.5 billion euros.
The Nuclear Arrangements Commission now says that this bank should be expanded, by 3.3 billion euros. The Committee notes, among other things, the low interest rates and the high costs, among other things, of storing nuclear waste.
But Angie calls this amount “disproportionate”. In their proposal, they suggested an increase of 900 million. The power company refers to a European standard. It seems that our country already has the highest commissions in Europe.
The company will now submit a modified bid. After that, it will be considered whether to go to the Marktenhof or not. This is a special chamber of the Brussels Court of Appeal. This is the first time that Angie disagrees with the triennial assessment by CNV.
Storage of nuclear waste
Engie not only disagrees with the increase in nuclear provisions, but the company is also demanding a refund of 1.3 billion euros from the government because it “regulates the disposal of nuclear waste too slowly”. Normally, this should have been evident already in 2015. This storage facility has been scientifically researched for years. Not until the end of November was the first Royal Decree (RD) published, stating that nuclear waste could be disposed of in the depths.
The company argues that the decision-making process is too slow, so Angie has to incur additional costs. After all, it itself must temporarily store nuclear waste. Engie currently estimates these additional costs at €1.3 billion. It is now looking for available legal remedies to recover this amount.
The discussion comes amid talks between Engie and the federal government to extend the Doel 4 and Tihange 3 nuclear reactors.
Read also: Extension of nuclear power plants is again on the table of the federal government: that’s the stake in 5 questions (+)
Unlimited free access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and never miss a thing from the stars.
“Total coffee specialist. Hardcore reader. Incurable music scholar. Web guru. Freelance troublemaker. Problem solver. Travel trailblazer.”
More Stories
Now beware of these scams: “They also contact you via WhatsApp and Telegram”
Beerlab: The anti-advertisement to our national art of brewing
Broken smartphone, washing machine or other device? As a consumer you are now entitled to this